Artificial leg suspender



July 21,1936. I Q L I 2,048,410

ARTIFICIAL LEG SUSPENDEB1 Filed Sept. 6, 1932 frzz/eni ar L /dines f?fiowzg Patented July 21, 1936 UNITED, STATES PATENT ems-1 ARTI ICIALL'EG SUSPENDER Jamesl fltowley,Chicago, 111. Application September 1932,Serial No. 631,877

' teams. (01. 3-11) My invention relates to improvementsin artificialleg suspenders and particularlysuspenders adapted forlegs whereamputation is above the knee or where the artificial leg consists ofupper -and lower sections provided .with a knee joint.

The invention has among its objects the production of a device of thekind described which is simple, eifective, efficient, comfortable andsatisfactory for use wherever found applicable.

More particularly it has as an object the production of an improveddevice of the kind dc-1 scribed which will maintain the artificial'legon the stump leg in such a manner that the artificial leg is to allintents and purposes a unitary structure with the stump leg, and issecurely, firmly and yet comfortably maintained in; place, therebyenabling the wearer of the legto moveabout with:

body of the wearer, the sameas if an integral,

part of the body.

The improved device is particularly designed so that it may be fitted tothe body-of the wearer of the artificial leg in such a way that theweight of the leg is substantially positively suspended from the greattrochanter at theupper part of the femur bone of the amputated leg sothat it is not necessary to tightenthe belt to a -deg ree causingharmful effects on the body,and when arranged as herein described doesnot bind on the internal organs in the abdominal cavity. When soadjusted the belt is maintained in place without sagging or possibilityof displacement and the artificial leg maintained in a definite relationwith the femur. The artificial leg is also maintained and supported atthe front, side and back, the preferred construction being substantiallya three point suspension carried substantially from a common point onthe body, and which is a fixed point relative the stump leg.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction and application ofthe device will be obvious to those skilled in the art from thedisclosure herein given. a

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangementand combination of parts herein shown and described, and moreparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing wherein like reference characters indicate like orcorresponding parts:

Fig. l is a view in elevation of my improved device applied to thewearer of the artificial limb}: a portion of the body and artificiallimb being: shown; A

Fig. 2 is a perspective view ,of the device, the lower ends of thestraps being 'omitted; f I,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the devic'eandi por'-, tion of theartificial legiand I f Fig. 4 is a view in elevation illustrating onemethod of attaching the strap. to the artificial limb. .f I

In the drawing in which one embodiment of the. invention is shown,l'represents a bandblfbelt of a. length sufficient to encircle the bodyojf the wearer, 2 being a buckle for. securing the'ends of the bandtogether and maintaining ito'n the body. The band I is preferably madeof web bing or equivalent material which may be readily. cleaned andkept in a sanitary condition. }The. band I is shown provided with areenforcement 3 of leather or other suitable material which is arrangedintermediate the ends at a point where it will be at the hip of theweareradjacent the great trochanter as will be more fully explainedhereinafter, thebuckle ordinarily being at the front and center of thebody when the device is. applied. Secured tot-he beltat the reenfo'rcement area plurality of flexible straps ,4, 5 and 6, these straps beingof webbing; heavy .Ielastic, or other material suitable for the purpose,and of a length to extend from the belt or band to, attaching pointsbelow the upper end.-of. the artificial limb. It may be mentioned thatthis device is particularly intended for use where the artificial legconsists of upper and lower sections, and knee joints, as well as legswhere a knee joint is not present. The straps shown are provided withreenforced ends 1 and preferably adjustable, as shown pivotally, securedto the band I at the reenforcement 3 by rivets 8. The opposite ends ofthe straps are connected to the artificial limb M at the side, front andback. In Fig. 4, I have shown a suitable flexible connection in which,I0 represents a reenforcement at the end of the strap and II the topsuitably reenforced and secured to the artificial limb by the rivet IIor equivalent means. The parts In and II are provided with hooks l2 anda lacing l3 secures the parts together.

In Fig. l, I have illustrated in dotted lines the honey structure of thebody, 20 representing the ilium and 2| what is known as the crest of theilium. The femur is indicated by 22 and the head by numeral 23, thenumeral 24 designating what is known as the great trochanter. Variousligaments and muscles extend from the crest of the ilium and ilium tothe parts of the femur,

some over the great trochanter. Between the crest of the ilium and thegreat trochanter are portions of these various muscles, tendons,ligaside face of the great trochanter, a pocket or depression beingformed in the belt to fit the great trochanter knob. It is desired thatthe belt be fitted for comfort as well. as utility.

When the belt or band is secured inposition' sub-' stantially as shownin Fig. 1, it will be noted thatthe same overlies the great trochanterand is substantially supported therefrom by the interposed tissues.'When the artificial leg I4 is applied to the stump leg l5 and securedsubstantially as shown, it will be obvious that the leg isat all timesmaintained in a definite 13819;. tion to the head of the femur and thegreat trochanter, and in view of the fact that the same is carried fromthe great'trochanter on that side of the body, the stump leg l5 and theleg M are secured in a definite relation so that the two aresubstantially as one or. a unitary structure.

The belt illustrated is reversible for use where the artificial leg ison the other side than that shown by merely turning it over andreversing the straps to extend as shown but on the oppo-' site side ofthe body.

Itwill be obvious that by securingthe artificial leg in place in themanner described, it is sub stantially carried at three points, aboutits circumference; to-wit; the side, front and the back from a definitesingle point on the body affording what might be termed a three pointsuspension. from a single point. The artificial leg is thus carried thesame as a natural leg insofar asv movement with the stump leg isconcerned enabling the wearer of the leg to move about with a morenatural gait and action. While the leg is firmly held in place, yet itis comfortable as it is not, at any time, displaced relative the stumpleg. When the straps are of elastic material, the elasticity is such asto nevertheless maintain the leg in place at all times, but to giveslightly if necessary, tending to promote comfort;

It will be particularly noted that by substantially carrying theartificial leg from what may be termed a fixed position or point at theupper part of the femur, the controlling mechanism and apparatus for theleg, that is, the lower leg, foot, etc., may at all times work in theintended 5 and prescribed manner so that the wearer has complete controlof the lower leg at all times. The controlling mechanism for the lowerleg, etc., forms no part of the present invention and need not bedescribed in detail herein.

In view of the fact that the belt is more or less directly andpositively carried by the great trochanter rather than by merely thefrictional engagement of the belt with the body or by compressing thebody above the crest of the ilium, it 15 is not necessary to so tightenthe belt as to unduly compress or bind the body to an uncomfortable orharmful extent.

Having thus described the invention, it is obvious thatvariousimmaterial modifications may 20 be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit of the appended claims, hence, I do not wish to limit 'myselfto the exact form, construction and arrangement herein shown anddescribed, or usesmentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to cover by Letters Patent is:

1. For an artificial leg provided with a body belt operatively connectedto the leg, the method of supporting the leg from the body consisting 30in applying-the belt about the body at the trochanternotch and drawingthe belt into the notch to rest upon the great trochanter andmaintaining it in supporting engagement therewith.

2. The method of fitting an artificial leg, having a stump socket andprovided with a body encircling belt located adjacent the stump socket rand having connecting means extending between the leg and belt,consisting in applying the belt to the body in a position opposite thehead of the femur and drawing the same into the trochanter notch to asupporting position on the great trochanter, and fitting the connectingmeans so that the stump is operatively and snugly maintained in thesocket.

3. The method of fitting and securing on an amputated stump leg, anartificial leg having a stump receivingsocket and provided with aflexible belt attached to the artificial leg, which consists in applyingand seating the belt around the body in the trochanter notch andsubstantially immediately above the great trochanter.

" JAMES F. ROWLEY.

